Girl of War
by FullmetalVampire123
Summary: On the Promised Day, Isabella Hawkeye was dragged through the Portal of Truth to the other side trying to save Mustang. After 4 years, she regains some sense and drags herself back through, losing part of her leg in the process. Much to her irritation, 7 all too familiar vampires follow her. Olivier/Riza, Ed C/Bella/Rosalie, Ed E/Winry, others to follow
1. Return

For the past four years, I have lived a lie.

Ironically, the Portal of Truth sent me here.

This alternate world. This nightmare.

It was an accident. I was only 14, and I was trying to save him. Colonel Mustang. Despite his attitude, he was good man at heart, and he wanted the best for our country. I followed him with all my heart, just like my mother.

When he went into the portal, we were separated. I stood before Truth. Truth judged me.

I wasn't sent to the battle.

I wasn't meant to be sacrificed.

I was sent somewhere else entirely.

I was found by a nice couple in a place called Forks, Washington. Charlie and Renee Swan. They cared for me like their own daughter. They loved me.

I appreciated their kindness, as such pure hearts are not often found. But I wanted to go home. I soon found I had no way to return myself.

Renee left Charlie and took me with her. I lived in a desert region called Arizona with her for a long time. I learned about this world I was in. Alchemy was nonexistent, but their technology was far more advanced than ours.

When I turned 17, I returned to Forks. Since I landed there, maybe the secret to my return was there.

Then I met _them_.

The Cullens.

They were even more a family to me. He loved me. He made me forget about home. My home was now _here_. With them.

I was blinded by the promise of immortality and beauty. I forgot all my teachings. I forgot my path of return and abandoned my studies.

I grew weak. I lost my muscle, my strength. I let that man protect me, control me, twist me into a girl I was not.

He even proposed to me, and after much pushing, I accepted him.

Edward Cullen.

I was to marry him. I would have, had I not been packing my things and found the clothes I had worn when I arrived in this world.

The bottom half of my military uniform, a tight, black short-sleeved shirt, holsters for guns long lost, black leather boots, a silver pocket watch, and my gauntlets.

The gauntlets of the Armstrong alchemy technique that had been passed down for generations.

I had been taught this technique even as an outsider, a Hawkeye. I had both families' morals driven into me.

The determination and resolve of a Hawkeye and the strength and pride of an Armstrong.

The sharpshooting skills of my mother and the alchemy technique of the family that cared for me when she couldn't.

I remembered _everything_.

I remembered the Elric brothers and their journey for their bodies. I remembered Winry Rockbell and her skill in making auto-mail. I remembered Alex Armstrong and his magnificent alchemic technique. I remembered Izumi Curtis and the months of excruciating training I'd received from her. I remembered Olivier Armstrong and the air of strength around her that inspired me so. I remember Roy Mustang and his cockiness, but also his bright future and dreams for our country. I remembered all the great men in the military, all the alchemists I'd studied under, all the martial artist's I'd trained with.

Most of all, I remembered my mother, Riza Hawkeye.

I was a child of rape. I'm lucky she even kept me, raised me, when she could have just given me up to someone else. Hell, she could have aborted me. But she didn't.

She was young when I was born, just getting ready to join the military after her father's death. Any other person would have been traumatized, but she pulled herself through.

During the civil war, I was left first with the adoptive mother of Roy Mustang, and then handed over to the Armstrongs. I was never really told how they ended up taking care of me, but one day Mustang called home and said Alex Armstrong owed him a favor and that I would be better taken care of there.

I was.

At this point, Alex was in Ishval, and Olivier had just been sent to Briggs. She was only a Colonel then. I spent most of my time with Catherine, the youngest Armstrong sibling. When Alex was sent home from the war, I attached myself to him, fascinated with his stories and alchemy.

After the war, I was reunited with my mother.

I was raised on guns and warfare. From a young age, I dreamed of joining the military and becoming a State Alchemist. I can remember Mustang telling me that I shouldn't be dreaming like that, but I ignored him.

I was born to be in the military.

When I really started studying alchemy, I was presented with two choices. Learn the Armstrong technique from "Uncle Alex" or try to persuade Mustang to teach me flame alchemy. Since the Colonel seemed to get depressed whenever it was brought up, I didn't go with flame alchemy.

Before I could learn the Armstrong technique, I had to learn alchemy itself.

When I was 10, Edward Elric became a State Alchemist at age 12. This only fueled my dreams more. During one visit to the Colonel's office, I asked Ed who taught him. I was given an address and a stern warning, but I went to see Izumi Curtis anyways.

I was refused four times. Something in her caved on the fifth.

She literally beat the meaning of alchemy into me. I literally never suffered so much abuse in my life.

After a few months of that, I went off to find Alex.

He was a Major then, and eager to teach. I learned it all quickly. Soon, I had my own transmutation gauntlets crafted, and I was on my way in to become a State Alchemist.

In order to pass the exam, I decided to put my own twist into the Armstrong technique. I studied a bit of Basque Gran's weapon alchemy in order to make it work. After much trial and error, I combined the two.

I was accepted faster than you can say King Bradley.

The Raging Bullet Alchemist. That was my "second name".

At age 13, I was the second youngest State Alchemist, right after Edward Elric.

Some State Alchemists distance themselves from the military and do their research on their own. Ed was the prime example. He had gone for the title only for research. If an alchemist does this, their rank is automatically equal to that of a Major.

I wasn't doing that.

I joined up and started climbing the ranks immediately. Elric might be the youngest State Alchemist, but I was the youngest soldier.

Soon, I was a First Lieutenant, just like my mother. She wasn't overbearing like Hughes with his daughter, but you could tell she was proud. I was happy to help her.

Then I met Olivier Mira Armstrong, the Major General of Fort Briggs. She hit number two on my list of respectable women (my mother at number one). Never had I seen such a beautiful specimen. She was the pinnacle of military beauty, and I was _mesmerized_.

So was my mother, upon first meeting.

After that, the two retained some kind of friendly rivalry, bordering on romance.

I didn't understand that kind of thing back then (especially between two women) but now I kind of admire it. Besides, all hell would break loose if they didn't like each other.

My life was relatively happy.

All that came crashing down in a sudden moment.

The Promised Day.

I had been helping Olivier, Izumi, and Alex fight the homunculus called Sloth.

In a split decision, after the battle was over, I ran off to find my mother.

When I found her, something was happening to the Colonel. They were putting him through the Portal of Truth?

The distraught look in my mother's eyes told me something horrible was happening.

Just as he was passing through, I ran and grabbed his ankle.

I followed him in.

We were separated.

I saw the Truth?

I was put through some kind of gate.

Then I was laying in the dirt and the rain.

A car pulled up. Someone put me inside.

My life changed.

Then I forgot my old life.

I _forgot_.

But now I _remember_.

And at that moment, I made the decision.

My phone rang.

_"Bella? What are you doing?"_

It was Alice.

"The wedding's off," I growled, "I'm not living a lie anymore."

_"What? Bel-"_

I hung up on her and threw the phone down so hard it broke. Then I grabbed my gauntlets and strapped them on. Before I leapt out the window, I grabbed a piece of chalk from a drawer.

I landed on the wet ground with a _thud_. You could almost hear the vampires scrambling around in the trees trying to get me.

I saw a flash of Edward's face in the trees. He lunged at me in an attempt to capture me, but I dodged and started running.

I was weak. I had lost the thick layers of muscle that used to be packed on my body like bricks. It wasn't ugly muscle, but it was enough to be noticeable. It was smooth and flowed naturally about my curves. _God_, I missed that.

I ran with every pitiful ounce of strength in my body, disgusted at what I'd become. A _weak_ girl. A _weak_, _controllable_ girl.

I heard them around me and wondered if they would actually hurt me.

I had tried to perform alchemy when I first arrived here, but it didn't work. Would it now?

I bit my lip and hoped for the best.

I crashed my knuckles together and pulled back, hoping those blue sparks would light up my fists with an alchemic charge.

They did.

I grinned wildly, and then slammed my hands down on the ground. Dirt wasn't much to work with, but it was enough.

I wasn't strong enough to launch bullets out of the ground like I used to, but I could still send a ton of spikes and shit out.

I heard them stop in shock and I laughed a little.

I kept running, and put up wall after wall. That should give me enough time to do what I needed to do.

I reached the big stone in the middle of the woods. I'd seen it on nature walks with that bastard Edward. It was _perfect_.

I started drawing the circle for human transmutation from memory. Hopefully, it was correct. In a matter of minutes, it was done.

I placed my hands down on the circle.

There was a bright light.

I was going _home_.

* * *

Truth stood before me, grinning that sinister grin.

_"So you want to go back, eh? There's a toll."_

I grinded my teeth.

"Yeah, I know. Don't give me all your bullshit, just take it and put me through."

_"You're a brave one, girl."_

"Shut up," I spat.

I felt like I was losing my balance, and I realized why with an expected horror.

My right leg had dissipated just below my knee.

"Hurgh!"

I tried to hold in the vomit that was boiling in the back of my throat.

_"Bye bye, little girl."_

My vision faded again.

* * *

When I came to, I was laying in the streets of Central, bloody and alone. It was night, and the clouds in the sky parted every now and then to reveal stars. The moonlight barely lit the way.

I got up and steadied myself against the wall. I was bleeding like crazy. If I didn't get to HQ fast, I was dead.

No one was out. It was probably past curfew.

I realized I was wandering into military headquarters with no idea if Mustang had succeeded in overthrowing Bradley. Had the Elrics defeated Father? What had happened in the four years I was gone?

Nevertheless, I had no idea where to go. If I was still considered a traitor, I would either be shot on sight or taken in and healed for questioning. I had to take that chance.

After what seemed like hours of stumbling through the streets, I reached HQ. I wondered why there were no MPs wandering around. Maybe Mustang had succeeded?

"Help," I muttered as I entered the building. "I'm... I'm Isa... Isabella... Hawkeye..."

Then I blacked out.

When I came to, the first thing I saw was my mother's face.

When I was fully awake, the first thing she did was slap me.

"You idiot! Why? Why did you do that? Why did you jump into that damn portal? I lost you! For four years I _lost you_!"

_Tears_. Those were things not often seen on my mother's face. I felt awful.

"I... I'm sorry, really. I was just trying to save him... Colonel Mustang. You looked so awful, I wanted to help..."

"I'm grateful that you tried to save me, but you disappeared for four years. Besides, I'm okay now," said Mustang from the doorway. "Also, I'm a Brigadier General now. Your mom's a Colonel."

I had noticed the change in rank on their shoulders.

"So, we won? You're not Fuhrer though..."

His face twisted a bit.

"I was blinded during the battle. By Truth. Marcoh healed me though."

"Think he could fix my leg?" I asked, pulling off the covers to examine it.

The Colonel-excuse me, the Brigadier General shook his head.

"He's off making a New Ishval with Scar and Major Miles."

"Scar's still alive?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, though. He's no danger."

"EXCUSE ME!" screamed mom. "I think I was in the middle of being angry, _Brigadier General_?"

He smiled apologetically and stepped out.

Alex Armstrong stepped in.

"OH ISABELLA!"

_Holy crap_, he could cry.

Before mom could finish, he had grabbed me and pulled me into a bone crushing hug. I squirmed, trying to get out of his teary-eyed grip.

"Oh, you've lost weight!"

"Muscle, Major, I've lost _muscle_," I corrected.

He smiled.

"I'm not a Major anymore, I'm a Colonel! Sis is a General now."

"Wow, that's a promotion!"

He glanced around at Mustang standing outside the door and my mother glaring angrily at me.

"Well, after your disappearance you were promoted to Colonel."

"Aw yeah!" I exclaimed. "Yeah, I kinda need a new uniform..."

We continued to chatter excitedly until a gunshot went off.

"LISTEN UP! You, Bella, have made me more worried than I've ever been in my life! I hope you've made the choice not to do something so reckless again! Especially after you lost your foot!"

She glared at me.

"You... You lost your foot. You lost your foot..."

She wrapped her arms around me.

"I'm sorry mom... I'm so sorry..."

It took me a moment to realize I was crying too. When I was finished, I unhooked my arms from her neck.

"I'm gonna go to Rush Valley... Hook up with Ed and Winry, get a new foot. I'm not gonna worry about trying to get my real foot back, I don't really care. I just... I just..."

I sighed.

"I guess I'll tell you the whole story."

* * *

I finished about an hour later.

Mustang laughed.

"Vampires? That_ sparkle_? Really?"

I growled.

"I'm not joking!"

He got serious.

"Well, that was quite an adventure. You don't want to go back, do you?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"Never. I hate them. I just want to stay here, grow old and die. I especially don't want to lose anymore body parts."

The Flame Alchemist chuckled a bit.

"Good. We're honored to have you back, _Colonel_ Hawkeye."

He paused.

"Since both of you are Colonels, this is going to get confusing," he said, referring to me and my mother.

"I'll be sure to get promoted as soon as possible, sir," said mom.

Mustang grinned.

"Well, I've got some work to attend to," said Alex. "I'd best be going. Stop by the Armstrong Mansion any time, Bella!"

"Doesn't Olivier own it now, though?"

Colonel Armstrong glanced at mom.

"I'm sure Sis won't mind," he said, winking at mom.

I stared at her after he left.

"Something you're not telling me, mommy dearest?"

"You'll find out in due time. After all, you are going to be posted at Briggs soon. Make sure to get cold climate auto-mail."

"Right," I responded, smiling.

"Alright, I've got work to do. Alphonse Elric is here, though, and he's taking a vacation to Rush Valley in a day or so. He'll be your escort."

"I need an escort?"

"You'll be on _crutches_, I'm sure you'd appreciate some help."

And with that, my mother left, leaving me alone in the room with Roy Mustang.

"So, mister _Brigadier General Mustang_, would you happen to know what I'm missing here?" I asked.

He shrugged.

"I'm sure Hawkeye would get mad if I told you before she did. Like she said, you'll find out once you see General Armstrong."

I huffed and crossed my arm.

"Toodles!" he called as he left. "I'll send Alphonse your way later!"

Later indeed. It was probably an hour. Of course, I wasn't counting.

"Bella, you're back! I mean, Colonel Hawkeye, ma'am!" he stuttered upon entry.

"It's okay, Al," I laughed. "You know you can call me Bella. I prefer it from friends."

He laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry. Still not used to the whole military thing..."

"After all this time?"

I laughed a little.

"So, you got your body back?"

He shuffled around a little.

"Yeah. Had to get a bunch of muscle back, too. You should've seen me. All skin and bones," he said. "Brother and I went around repaying all the people that helped us on our journey."

Al smiled a little, but it was tinged with sadness when he looked at me.

"You've lost something yourself, haven't you?"

"Nothing auto-mail can't fix," I said grinning.

"It's just below your knee isn't it? You won't have to worry about paying for a full limb with a joint. That gets expensive. Brother's cost a lot."

I nodded.

"I'll be okay. When are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow, if you're up for it."

"I'm up for anything."

* * *

"I was not up for this damn heat!"

"Haha, it is pretty hot in Rush Valley," said Al, smiling apologetically.

I removed my jacket and shirt, leaving me in nothing but a sports bra and long shorts.

"Hmm... Brother said he'd be around to meet us..."

Al put a hand on his forehead to shade his eyes and started looking around.

"Yo! Alphonse!"

Standing taller than I last saw him and waving with both _real_ arms was Edward Elric. I wanted to run up to meet him, but that obviously wasn't happening. Instead, I hobbled up to him as fast as my crutches would let me.

"Fullmetal, not such a pipsqueak anymore, are ya? You're the same height as me!"

He grumbled something about not being short anymore and glared at me. I chuckled.

"Not so 'fullmetal' anymore though, are you?"

"Nope, just the leg," he said, pointing down. "That's okay, though. If Winry didn't have me to work on I don't know what she'd do."

We laughed.

"I see you need a bit of metal. How'd that happen?"

I looked down at my leg, or at least what was left of it.

"Why don't we get to the shop and I'll tell everyone at once, okay? It's a long story with a lot of shit you might not believe."

"AHAHAHAHAHA!"

I scowled.

"Let me get this straight, you fell in love with a sparkling vampire named _Edward_?"

I nodded grudgingly.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA! THAT'S TOO FUNNY!"

Even Al was laughing a bit. They were both hit in the head with wrenches.

"Shut up! This girl obviously went through some emotional shit! Shit that I can make money off of!" screeched Winry. "Now, Bella, be a dear and come over here so I can take measurements."

Slightly scared, I sat down so she could measure me.

"How long will this take?"

"I can have the prosthetic built in about a week. Surgery will take a while, maybe a day or so, and rehabilitation will take... Oh, say a year or less. The leg was cut off below the joint, so it won't take as long as a full leg. It's just part of your shin and your foot."

"How's three months sound?"

She looked at me.

"That's pushing it."

"I like to push things. Besides, I want to get back to Centr-"

I stopped. I was being stationed at Briggs now.

"Winry, I almost forgot. It's gotta be cold climate auto-mail. I'm being posted at Briggs."

"Alright, that sets you back. I gotta order materials. In the meantime, I'll start on a design."

I sighed out of irritation. Winry finished measuring and went off to the drawing table. I turned to face the brothers.

"Got any weights?"

Ed glanced up from his book.

"Yeah. What for?"

"I've lost muscle. A _lot_ of muscle. I need it back."

"What are you, malnourished? Did they stop feeding you over there? Fine."

He retrieved some dumbbells and bars from the back of the shop.

"I used these to get my arm back in shape."

"Cool. So, you still a State Alchemist? I know Al is."

Ed frowned.

"I gave up my ability to use alchemy to get Al back. I still study it, but I'll never use it again."

"Oh, sorry. That's gotta be rough."

He smiled sadly.

"It was definitely worth it though."

I smiled back at him.

"Okay, while she works on my foot, I'm going to start training!"

"Ack, already?" Al asked incredulously. "You're still injured!"

"Screw injuries, I'm tough!"

"No! Don't hurt yourself!"

"I'm not going to hurt myself!"

"HEY! YOU TWO! SHUT UP! I'M WORKING!"

_**THUD THUD**_

"Owwwww! Winry!"

"QUIET!"


	2. Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

During my time in Rush Valley, I had a lot of time to think about the Cullens.

I eventually grew to hate them. For_ everything_.

Except one of them.

Rosalie Hale.

She never liked me. She disagreed with me. She thought I was stupid for throwing away my mortality. At the time, I was too delusional to take in what she was saying. I thought she was the stupid one. We agreed to disagree.

She was right, though. I realize that now. I felt sorry for her, too.

I grew to grudgingly like her.

Then I sort of respected her.

Then I admired her.

Finally, the admiration turned into a strange attraction.

That, of course, didn't happen all at once. It transpired over several months of thought.

I still wanted to punch myself in the face for it.

And I still didn't know what was going on with my mother that no one would tell me. It was driving me insane and made me move up the date for my surgery.

"Whatever," was Winry's response. "You're ready and willing. More pain, more gain, more money for me."

"That's kind of blunt."

She turned around from her work to look at me.

"I can tell you're strong, and you like to show it. You wouldn't even use a wheelchair when Ed offered you one."

I glanced at my crutches.

"As for being blunt, I'm like that sometimes."

She shrugged and returned to tinkering with her work. I rolled my eyes and hobbled off outside where my weight bench was waiting.

The survey was awful. It was intense pain nonstop for hours on end. I didn't let myself scream. I was stronger than that. An occasional grunt or moan was acceptable, but no outright screams. I walked hand in hand with the pain until it was over. We were friends by the end of it all.

Rehabilitation was painful too.

I didn't give in to the pain there either. I was used to it by then. I had faith that I could take a bullet and only shed a tear or two at this point.

It took five months for rehab. Two more than I'd said.

In total, I'd been in Rush Valley for half a year.

"Ugh, I need to get out of here," I mumbled.

Al was long gone. He'd left 3 months ago. Military vacations weren't _that_ long. He had a duty to do. Sort of. Not really, but he was still restless and didn't like to sit in one place for long. Ed had outgrown that urge, but his little brother was still up and running.

In my downtime, I'd ordered a new uniform, as my old one was long lost in Charlie Swan's house. Hell, that wasn't even a full uniform. Anyways, they'd sent me a new one. I'd ordered a size up from my current measurements since I knew I'd gain muscle mass if I kept up my current training regimen. It fit a bit loosely, but I was still pretty lean. Not as muscular as I had been in the past. In a few more months it would be a perfect fit.

"Well well, don't you look sharp?"

"Can it, Ed."

I finished tucking my pants into my boots and tapped my right foot on the floor.

"Right as rain! You're a lifesaver, Winry," I commented.

"No problem! I'm happy to help!"

It was a sturdy, cold-climate model that you wouldn't find anywhere else. Best of all, I got the military discount _and_ a bit of a discount because I was a close friend. Still, I paid her extra because I really needed to walk on my own and she gave me a way to do that. I wasn't cold-hearted.

"Well, back to climbing the ranks!"

"Surpass that bastard Mustang for me, m'kay?" Ed called.

I laughed.

"You'll be calling me Fuhrer Hawkeye soon enough!"

The couple grinned widely.

"Say hi to Al, okay?"

"Sure thing! Bye!"

"Come back soon! DON'T FORGET TO DO YOUR MAINTENANCE!"

"YEAH, WHATEVER!" I yelled, already walking down the busy street to the train station.

Behind me, I heard them talking for a brief minute.

"She's just like you, Ed."

"Yeah. Sort of."

"Speaking of maintenance..."

"Oh no you don't! WINRY! PUT THE WRENCH DOWN!"

I laughed loudly and kept walking.

Before I could go to Briggs proper, I had to pick up transfer documents and such from Central.

Colonel Armstrong was waiting at the train station for me.

"ISABELLA!"

"I see you, Colonel," I grunted.

We chatted avidly on the way to HQ. Mustang and mom were waiting for us upon arrival. They saluted; we gave them one in return.

"Welcome back, Colonels," Mustang said with a ridiculous grin on his face.

I looked at him dumbly.

"General, what the...?"

He looked like he was restraining himself from laughter.

"I believe your story now," he almost giggled.

"Wha...?"

Of course, all my questions were answered once we entered his office.

"BELLAAAAAAAA!"

I was instantly tackled by a tiny flying blur accompanied by a bigger flying blur, both gray-ish in color. When I managed to shake them off, I looked up and my jaw went slack.

The freaking _Cullens_.

How in god's name did they get here?

"They showed up a week or so after you left for Rush Valley. Signed up for military training. Two of them are certified State Alchemists," explained Roy.

"Buh... Buh... Whaaaat?"

"I think she might be going into shock, sir," suggested Alex.

I growled.

"I'm going to KILL ALL OF YOU MORONS!"

I pulled my arm back to punch something, but Mustang grabbed it.

"As much as I'd like to see you rip these guys limb from limb, I don't want you tearing up my office... until I'm promoted and I get a better one. Then you could have a wild party in here and set off fireworks and I wouldn't give a damn," he said. "Until then, check yourself before you wreck yourself and my office."

I groaned and wrestled my arm away from him.

"What are you leeches doing here?" I said, taking a bit of slang from Jacob's book.

"We studied that circle you made _forever_," said Alice. "Finally, Edward touched it with both hands and there was this bright blight and we all got sucked in."

"But they didn't pay a toll...?" I wondered aloud.

"Apparently not," confirmed Mustang, shrugging. "We searched them up and down for removal, but, no dice."

"So who got State Alchemist certifications?" I asked curiously.

"Edward Cullen, The Diamond Skin Alchemist, and Rosalie Hale, the Iceblood Alchemist," he stated.

I looked at the seven of them, standing in Amestrian military uniforms, fresh and crisp looking even now. It made me want to throw up.

Except Rosalie.

My eyes lingered on her a bit too long. She noticed it and gave me a piercing look. Our eye contact was interrupted by Alice.

"Bella, why did you leave? Everything was perfe-"

"You will address me as Colonel, Colonel Hawkeye, or ma'am. Nothing less, nothing more," I said sharply. Then I addressed Mustang. "They're of lesser rank, right?"

"Fresh out of the academy."

"Wonderful. Postings?"

"Carlisle, Jasper, Alice, and Esme are posted at Central HQ, and Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie are due for Fort Briggs. There's a bit of a need for State Alchemists up there. That's part of why you were posted there."

"Lemme guess: I won't find out the other part till I get there, right?"

He grinned.

"Yep."

I sighed out of frustration. What in the Fuhrer's name were they hiding?

"Oh, the ones being sent to Briggs are your personal men. That's why they haven't been shipped out yet."

Oh boy.

"General, may we step into my office?" I asked sweetly.

"But your office is all the way-" he started to protest.

"I know."

"Um, okay. Hawkeye?"

"Coming, sir."

"Colonel Armstrong, stay here and watch these guys," he ordered.

"Yes sir!"

We walked halfway across HQ and settled into my much smaller office.

"Vampires have superb hearing. Stepping outside wouldn't have given us any privacy," I explained.

They nodded. I sighed.

"How did they get here?" I asked.

"They showed up at night, like you," Roy began to explain. "They were a bit disoriented, though, and one of the few MPs out at that time brought them in for questioning. They were telling the officer that they were looking for an 'Isabella Swan'. Your alias in that world, I assume?"

I nodded.

"I happened to be walking by with your mother," Mustang paused to motion at her. "and one of them-Alice, I think-pointed at her and said 'She looks a lot like her!' Remembering your descriptions, I took over the questioning. They revealed themselves to indeed be the Cullens you spoke of. Then I told them you were in the military, and they stopped me there and asked for applications. When I said you were a State Alchemist, the two I mentioned asked about alchemy and started down that path. The other five went off to cadet school while the other two stayed here to study alchemy. I still didn't believe the whole sparkling thing until I forced the Edward kid outside one sunny day."

He stopped to laugh.

"Funny how he's got the same name as Ed but he sparkles like a fairy princess!"

I shuddered when I realized that I once found that attractive.

"He's got a bit of Ed's personality, though. Hotheaded. Plotting. Determined."

Yikes. Determined.

"He was always talking about winning you back."

I could see my mother stiffen a little at that comment.

"Oh, don't worry. He won't be 'winning me back'. I have no desire to associate myself with him any longer," I said reassuringly.

"I didn't tell them that Hawkeye was your mother."

"Good. I'll break that to them myself."

I crossed my arms and sat like that for a moment.

"Alright, let's head back."

After another trip across HQ, we were back at Mustang's office. Upon entering it, it appeared that Alex and Emmett were in a competition of muscle.

"I would join, but I'm not quite in top shape yet," I said, waving them off. "So, you think you have what it takes to be in the military? This isn't fun and games, you know. War is serious."

I felt a bit inappropriate giving this lecture to Jasper, but the others needed it.

"Yes! But Bel- Colonel Hawkeye, we want some answers too," said Alice.

"Then ask some questions."

"I thought your last name was Swan."

"That's not a question, 2nd Lieutenant Alice."

"Ahem," she started again. "Isn't your last name Swan?"

"No. My full name is Isabella _Bullet_ Hawkeye," I said, practically making my middle name inaudible.

My middle name was a source of pride and embarrassment. My mother was hardly an adult when I was born. She was probably thinking something along the lines of "Guns are neat. Bullet would be a cool middle name!" when she filled out the birth certificate. However, it did earn me the nickname "Bullet" (and other variations like "Bullet Punch", "Speeding Bullet", etc) which was pretty cool.

It sort of made filling out applications a pain in the ass. Winry and Ed laughed for hours when I filled out the form for my auto-mail surgery.

I know mom probably thought it was a little silly now too, but she still grinned like a madman whenever I had to say it. I could see her smiling out of the corner of my eye right now, in fact. The Cullens were abuzz, murmuring "Did she say her middle name was _Bullet_?" in an incredulous manner.

"Who's your mother?"

Of course Esme would ask that.

"Me," came my mom's stern reply.

"You?" Edward half screamed. "The demon sharpshooter lady?"

I glared at him darkly.

"What? She shot me in the back of the head! With a sniper rifle! You know what a punch those things pack?"

"Yes," I hissed. "I was helping resolve a conflict in Pendleton when I was shot in the leg with one. It hurt like hell, but I got it out. At least it didn't actually _hurt_ you."

I realized that scar was no longer there since Truth had taken that part of my leg. I looked at it sadly.

"Um, where have you been?" asked Emmett. "You were out of town when we got here."

"Rush Valley."

"Doing what?"

"Getting this."

I removed my right boot and pulled my pants leg up. They gasped.

"It's just auto-mail, gosh. Don't have a cow."

"B-b-but! Your leg!"

"Yeah, Truth took it when I went through the gate. Big whoop."

I put my shoe back on and made sure my pants were tucked in correctly. When I righted myself, the barrage of questions continued.

"Who's your dad?"

I winced, knowing mom would be having some horrible flashbacks now.

"No one," I mumbled.

They looked at me and each other. No doubt Edward was reading my mother's mind. After a moment he flinched and started whispering inaudibly to his family. When they were done, he looked back at me.

"Sorry," he murmured.

"Sorry isn't a question. Are you done?"

"No, no. Why did you join the military?"

"It's been my dream since I was a child. I was inspired by my mother and her colleagues."

"Were you born here?"

"Obviously."

"What kind of alchemy do you use?"

"I'm The Raging Bullet Alchemist. I specialize in a combination of weapon alchemy and the Armstrong technique."

Jasper made the deadly mistake of asking the question "What's the Armstrong technique?"

"ALLOW ME TO DEMONSTRATE, FAIR MAN!"

"Not in my office, Colonel Armstrong!"

A drop of sweat rolled down my forehead.

"Well, uh, it's alchemy with a lot of punching and sharp shit coming out of the ground and stuff. Like alchemy made for combat. You use gauntlets like these to do it."

I unhitched the gauntlets from my belt and held them up for a moment.

"Mine are a bit different from his since I altered my technique."

After that, they stood silent for a while. I could see them squirming to figure out what to ask. Finally, Edward stepped up.

"Are you still going to marry me?"

There was a deadly silence in the air, and it lingered far longer than it should have. After much deliberation, I gave him my answer.

"Not in a million years, asshole. And don't worry about changing me. Immortality is for _fools_, and I'm not one."

I spat at the floor in front of him and walked out, slamming the door behind me. I could hear him cursing and rampaging back inside, but I didn't care. He's like a damn baby. One time he doesn't get what he wants and he's throwing a temper tantrum.

I heard Mustang come out behind me.

"Have them ready to ship out to Briggs tomorrow morning. _Early_. I can't wait to get out of here."

"Should I remove Edward from your squad?" he asked hesitantly.

"No. I'm going to make him _suffer_."

"Alright then," he said, and turned back to his office.

I put my head in my hands. I was getting a headache, and I felt like ripping my heart out with my bare hands.

This was going to be one hell of ride.


	3. Survival of Fittest

The road to Briggs was quiet. My "men" weren't too talkative, thank god. I don't think I could take much more of their moronic chatter.

Except Rosalie.

She hadn't spoken to me since she arrived. I guess she had her reasons, but since my declaration yesterday she was looking at me differently. Hopefully it was a good different.

We reached our car's stopping point and made the rest of the trip on foot. It was cold as hell, but right now I was the only one feeling it. I cursed the vampires and their undead, unfeeling bodies. The makings of a blizzard were starting to appear.

"Dammit," I hissed through the chill.

"What?" asked Emmett.

"If we don't hurry up, we're gonna get caught in the storm of the century. Or what they call up here 'normal weather'. And don't just say 'What?' Say 'What, ma'am?' I _am_ your commanding officer."

"Right, um, ma'am."

"Better."

As we headed further up the slowly disappearing road, I noticed something lying off on the side. It was a wolf cub, sitting with what I assumed was his dead mother.

"Hey, buddy," I whispered, getting closer to them.

He was injured pretty badly. If I left him here, he'd be bear food in no time if the storm didn't kill him first. Sighing, I picked him up and slung him over my shoulder. He protested, but eventually gave in.

This only made the trip harder.

Walking was getting us nowhere fast, but I wasn't asking one of them to carry me. That would be giving in.

As the storm grew, I realized giving in my might be my only option.

"Emmett, carry me."

"Yes ma'am."

"All of you, start running!"

I kept a firm grip on my wolf cub as they took off at inhuman speeds. Just as the blizzard was reaching its peak, we arrived at the fort.

"HALT! Who goes there?" called a soldier.

"Colonel Isabella Hawkeye, First Lieutenant Emmett Cullen, Major Rosalie Hale, and Captain Edward Cullen!" I announced as I got down off Emmett's back, carefully holding the cub.

"All clear! Open the gates!"

There was a loud grinding sound as the gates of the strongest fortress in Amestris slowly opened.

Standing behind them was General Olivier Mira Armstrong.

"Decided to come back home, eh Bella?"

I grinned.

**xXx**

The general gave us a brief tour of the fortress and brought us up to her quarters. I handed the cub over to a soldier who took it down to the doctor's quarters.

"Good to have you back, Hawkeye. There's a shortage of good soldiers here."

"I can tell. Hopefully the ones I brought with me will turn out well."

She looked them over.

"Maybe the big guy. The girl looks tough. The little guy? Meh."

"Indeed, though he is a State Alchemist."

"Oh? I've gained a little respect for him then. Still not much. Here at Briggs, it's survival of the fittest! Everyone works hard and we never let our guard down!"

"Yes sir! I mean, ma'am," stuttered Emmett.

"Alright, I'll have some of my men show you to your quarters."

With a wave of her hand she called a few soldiers and they ran over to escort the Cullens.

"Care to have a chat with me, General?" I asked.

"Of course. Step into my office."

**xXx**

"Ha, _sparkling_ vampires? You can't be serious!"

"I am, ma'am. It's quite ridiculous, I know," I grumbled.

"Oh, don't be so formal, Bella. I've known you since you were this tall."

She raised her hand about two and half feet of the ground.

"You were a feisty little kid. Eager to learn. Tough as nails, too."

"That sounds about right."

I took a sip of the coffee that a soldier had offered me earlier.

"So, there's something no one at Central HQ would tell me at all, and I think it has to do with my mother and you," I started. "Care to enlighten me?"

The general looked like she was pondering it for a moment, and then smirked evilly. I shuddered, wondering what my poor ears would be subjected to if she told me.

"Well… You know about your mother and me…" she trailed off.

I nodded, understanding their weird relationship, and then took a sip of coffee.

"We're engaged."

She was lucky I didn't spit my coffee all over her. Her desk got it instead, and a few unimportant looking documents.

"Well, thanks for that. I've always wanted to paint my desk with coffee," she said sarcastically.

"You're _engaged_?" I asked incredulously.

"It might seem fast to you, but it's been four years. You've been gone quite a while, and you've missed a lot."

"So, when's the wedding?"

I was still trying to process all this.

"Summer. End of June, I believe."

Summer. It was getting close to winter now. I think it was around October. Damn, I don't know the date.

"What month is it? Now, I mean."

"October 11th."

I was close.

"Well, Olli, let's-" I started.

"Don't call me Olli."

I grinned.

"Alright, _Olli._"

"You're not letting that go, are you?" she sighed.

"Nope, Olli."

She groaned.

"You're sharing a room with the blonde girl you brought in. There aren't many women in Briggs besides me, so I stuck you two together, knowing you'd prefer that over some random hairy man."

I tried not to, but blushed anyways at the thought of sleeping in the same room as Rosalie. What is wrong with me? I'm going to punch that moron Edward in the face next time I see him. It's his fault.

"Oh, you like her, do you? Looks like homosexuality _is _a hereditary trait," Olivier said mockingly.

"It is NOT! As a woman of science, I know that has been studied and it has NOT been proven!" I protested.

"Well, you're not helping those studies," she pointed out.

"UGH! You're impossible."

I got up, took the coffee with me, pushed the chair in like a gentlewoman, and walked towards the door.

"You're in room 413. The Cullen brothers are in 414. That wolf you picked up is in the infirmary. Welcome to Briggs."

"Yeah, whatever!"

**xXx**

I stopped by the infirmary to check up on my cub.

"Yo, Doc!"

She waved.

"You here for that cub?"

I nodded.

"He's back here."

She led me to a table in the back. The cub's hind leg and stomach were bandaged up.

"Looks like a bear got to him. You know his mother's gonna be looking for him," she warned.

"His mom's dead. She was lying on the side of the road. Dead."

"So you're keeping him?" she asked.

"Yup. I haven't been a dog person for a while, but I'm taking my chances," I said.

"This isn't a dog, Colonel, it's a _wolf._"

"I know, Doc. I'm not like normal people. I take _risks._"

I carefully picked up the cub, intent on carrying him to my room.

"Careful, Colonel."

"I will be!"

As I walked down the hall back to the room, I looked down at the drugged cub.

"Hm, what do I name you, bud?"

I pondered it for a moment.

"How about Loeki? You look like a Loeki."

In some sort of response, he yawned.

"Loeki it is."

**xXx**

It was late when I opened the door to my room to find Rosalie sitting on top of one of the built-in bunk beds, reading a book on some kind of alchemy, judging from the various arrays pictured on the page I could see. She turned to acknowledge me, and then looked back to her book. I nodded at her, sort of at a loss as to how to respond to that.

I set Loeki down on the lower bunk of the bed opposite her. All my stuff was lying in the back of the room near the bathroom and sinks. I laid it all on the lower bunk with the cub. He was still pretty knocked out, so I laid a blanket over him and hoped he'd sleep all night.

I discarded a few layers of clothes, leaving me in my tank top and underwear. It was chilly until I crawled up under the thick blankets on the upper bunk.

Deciding to play curious, I looked over at Rosalie.

"Whatcha reading?"

She looked up briefly.

"A book on applying alchemy to water and various liquids."

Made sense. That was her specialty.

Not knowing how to continue from that, I said "Cool."

I sat there for a moment, pondering what my next move would be. Failing at that, I leaned backwards over the bed and grabbed a satchel from the bottom bunk, careful not to disturb Loeki. It was full of a bunch of stuff I'd borrowed from Ed: notes on the Philosopher's Stone by Tim Marcoh, Ed's own research, a few rare books covering human transmutation, Scar's brother's notes, some notes on Xingese alkahestry, and a few other bits of important paper.

"What are you reading?" asked the blonde beside me.

I wasn't expecting that.

"Um, a lot of notes from the Elric brothers. You've heard of them?"

She nodded.

"Yeah. Notes from them, notes from other people that they had possession of, rare books…" I trailed off. "That kind of stuff."

"You know the brothers personally?"

"Mhmm. Ed's wife made my auto-mail," I said and raised my foot. "Al has always been friendly with me, too."

"Must be nice."

"Yeah."

And the conversation died again.

After a while, my eyelids got droopy and it was hard to keep them open. I ended up rereading the same sentence over and over. Time to give up.

"You can still read in the dark right? I'm going to turn off the lights," I said, knowing she couldn't sleep and would probably want to read all night.

"Yeah, it's fine."

I braced myself by planting my left hand on the ceiling and my right on the bed, and then reached my legs out and around the corner of the indention in the wall that the bunk bed was built into. My back barely touched the corner as I placed my left foot on the wall above the light switch, then flicked it off with my right foot. Now in the dark, I carefully maneuvered myself back onto the bed and under the covers.

"I could have done that much easier," said Rosalie, who had been watching me the whole time.

"I need to strain myself," I mumbled and yawned. "G'night…"

"Night."

I heard Loeki yawn underneath me, and then I fell asleep.

**xXx**

"Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey!"

I awoke to hear Rosalie teasing me out of sleep. When my eyes were finally capable of opening, I saw her standing, already in uniform, with Loeki running in and out of her legs. He saw I was awake and barked quickly before sitting down.

"Your new mutt is surprisingly better-behaved than the old one."

She was referring to Jacob. I scowled a bit at the thought of him, but shook it off and starting getting myself out of bed.

"Morning Loeki! Who's a good boy? You are!"

I teased the cub a bit before gathering up my uniform and starting to get dressed. While I was occupied with checking my jacket, Loeki turned his attention to the blonde vampire, who was now sitting on the bottom bunk of her bed. He propped himself up on the bed beside her. She grudgingly rubbed him.

I noticed that he was surprisingly docile, being a wolf cub and all. It was odd, since I just picked him up off the road yesterday and he probably only about a year old.

"Shouldn't you be a bit wilder, bud?" I wondered aloud.

"Maybe he's being nice because you saved him," Rosalie said.

"Yeah, maybe. I'll have Doc take a look at him later. C'mon boy! Let's go!"

Much to my surprise, he followed me out the door like a trained dog.

"I guess he like you," she said.

He barked.

"Alright, I'm hungry!"

I took off down the hall with Loeki and Rosalie in tow. Somewhere along the way to the mess hall, wet met up with Dumb and Dumber, aka Emmett and Edward.

"Morning!" called Emmett.

Edward grumbled something incoherent. Still a sore loser, I assumed. Emmett immediately noticed Loeki and Loeki immediately noticed him.

"Cool, a wolf!" called the 80-some year-old kid. "Is he yours?"

"Yep," I answered. "His name is Loeki."

"Neat! Hey, Loeki! I'm Emmett!"

He played with the wolf as we strode down the hall.

In the mess hall, it was loud and busy, the peak of breakfast time. Olivier was nowhere to be seen, but I was sure she ate somewhere else that was a bit more private. I'd find that place eventually and invade her meal times just to irritate her. For now, I skipped over to the cook and picked up a plate of biscuits and gravy, and a bit of sausage for Loeki.

I sat down with my crew, who were, of course, not eating. Emmett had gotten some more sausage for the cub. He was in the process of teaching him to shake hands, with the hot meat as a reward.

"You normally teach dogs to sit first," I said, observing them. "And stay, and speak, and roll over."

"Yeah, but he seemed okay with sitting on command already. You're a fast learner, aren't you?"

He gave Loeki a pat on the head. Loeki barked in return.

"Huh."

After I ate, I headed out to find the General. She was standing tall on an overlook of Drachma.

"How reliable are these alchemists you brought with you?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but realized that I had no idea what their skills were like. I hadn't observed them at all before we left Central. From what little I'd seen, Rosalie at least looked dedicated. They _had _made State Alchemists, after all. They should at least have some kind of skill that would impress the proctors.

"Um, I'm not really sure, ma'am. I haven't had the chance to observe them yet."

The General smiled.

"Well then, why don't we put on a little show?"

It took me a moment to realize what Olivier was planned, but it all clicked into place after a bit of thought. She wanted to show off, rub these new alchemists in Drachma's face. Of course, if they weren't all that good, it'd be a bit like displaying weakness. I got a little worried. Then again, they were the Cullens after all. They were usually a very showy, impressive bunch.

"I'm sure they'd love that," I said.

"Alright, have them out on ground level in ten. I'll be waiting."

She turned and strode off back into the fortress.

Boy, first thing in the morning and she was already burning like a bonfire. I can see why someone like my mother would be interested in her…

Oh god, it's just weird thinking about that. Not weird in that they're both women, but weird because it's _my _mom and freaking _General Armstrong, _the _Ice Queen. _Of course, mom wasn't without her threatening aliases. The Hawk's Eye was probably a fitting partner for the Northern Wall of Briggs.

I made my way down to the office I'd been assigned to find the three Cullen siblings screwing around inside. "Alright, you three! Get yourselves in order. General Armstrong wants a fancy shmancy alchemic performance! Emmett… you just stand there and look strong. Maybe I'll let you punch some boulders into gravel or something."

The three vampires followed me down and out of the fort towards the borderline between Amestris and Drachma. There was a tiny strip of land on the other side of Fort Briggs that still belonged to Amestris, and that was where we were now. You could almost feel the tension in the air between the two countries. I knew Drachman spies were watching us from all areas across the border. You couldn't see them, but you knew they were there. It was just how life was here.

"Edward," I whispered. "Tell me something."

"Yes?" he answered nervously.

"How far does your mind reading extend?"

"A mile or so."

"Follow me." I walked as close to the flag-marked border as I could.

"Listen," I whispered to the redheaded creature of the night. "Listen. See if you can hear them, the Drachmans."

He closed his eyes and focused. A few minutes passed. Suddenly, those golden orbs shot wide open. "I can hear them."

I smiled big.

"Good. Good! Great, even! Looks like there's more than one use for you, Captain!"

Edward smiled softly and followed me back to the fortress. I motioned for him and Rosalie to stay on ground level as I walked back up onto a low platform with Emmett. Olivier joined me not long after with a few other observers. I noticed a few more soldiers gathering on upper platforms. You could almost hear the Drachman spies scrambling around in the mountains, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Alright, Bella, show me what your little otherworldly friends can do."

I sucked in a deep breath, hoping they would impress her.

Sometimes I wonder why I even worried.

"Captain Edward Anthony Mason Cullen! A display of your alchemic abilities is in order!"

Even at this distance, I could see him scowl a little bit. Always the sour one.

"Yes ma'am!" he called back, almost sarcastically.

I was the tiniest bit surprised when he started stripping. In a matter of seconds, he was shirtless, displaying the elaborate transmutation circles tattooed on his chest and hands. The circle on his chest was somewhat of an altered human transmutation circle, with Flamel's Cross***** being the prominent feature. The circles on his hands were new ones I'd never seen before, but they seemed to be a mix of normal circles along with strange ones that I didn't recognize. It was almost like Xingese alkahestry.

He put his hands together, creating a blue charge, and then placed them on his chest. His skin seemed to crystallize and morph before finally expanding into large, crystal, gauntlet-like growths on his hands that extended up to his elbows. The same type of crystal spikes extended out on his back and face. At first, I was confused at why the Law of Conservation of Mass wasn't kicking in; there wasn't any evidence of his other skin getting thinner. Then, it hit me: vampires heal and regenerate, so his skin was replacing itself as it moved around his body.

How Edward had come up with such a magnificent idea mystified me. I guess that moronic brain of his was useful for something.

"I could do my feet too, but I'm not keen on tearing up my boots right now!" he called up.

I nodded in understanding, and then I motioned for him to show off a little. He was good at that, I knew it. Somehow, he understood me, and started to move around a little. In no time, he was cutting flips and punching craters in the ground with his massive hands.

"A bit of a show off," said Olivier. "But a strange and useful application of alchemy."

After a few minutes of him rubbing his alchemy in everyone's faces, I signaled him to stop. He grinned cockily and landed after cutting a quadruple back flip, then dissipated the extra skin, gathered his clothes, and walked up to the platform.

"Good show," I said sarcastically.

"You're just jealous you can't do anything that impressive."

I wanted to sock him in the face with a load of alchemically charged fury, but I wanted to see Rosalie's demonstration.

She stepped up to the (metaphorical) plate with no emotion whatsoever displayed on her face. Good old Rose, never letting anything at all show. Ever.

Her circles were also tattoos on the palms of her hands, but no stripping this time. She merely put her hands together, placed them on the ground, and gigantic spikes of ice shot up out of the ground. Instead of dancing around like an acrobatic fool, she started to explain.

"This is useful in most areas due to water concentration underground. Here, it's a bit easier due to the large amount of snow. The other side of this alchemy can only be used in deadly situations. I am able to manipulate blood, but at most times this is deadly to the person I'm using the alchemy on. I can freeze it, move it, vaporize it, pull it through the skin, make it explode, etc."

Olivier looked fascinated. "This girl has quite the brain on her," she mumbled.

Rosalie started to walk back to the fortress. "I'm not a show off like my brother, but I have the same, if not better, physical abilities as him," stated Rose. Edward growled down at her and she smiled back evilly.

"Olivier, First Lieutenant Emmett is a bit… antsy. He wants to show you a bit of his strengths as well," I said, noticing Emmett's ADHD kicking in.

"That's fine. These vampires interest me."

Emmett let out a violent "YES! THANKYOUTHANKYOU!" and vaulted over the handrail. He landed with a heavy _THUD _and immediately stood and started tearing up the terrain. After several boulders were transformed in gravel, I turned to Edward.

"Please, for the love of god, go down there and spar with him. This is ridiculous."

He quickly obliged and jumped over, landing behind the larger vampire. Emmett turned around just in time to get knocked over by his speedy older brother. They wrestled on the ground for a moment, and then righted themselves. Emmett tossed his brother about thirty feet away and then the battle turned into a mess of blue blurs.

"They're almost invisible," said the general. "How fast can they move?"

"I'm not totally sure. When Edward gets back up here, you can ask him. He's the fastest one on record; I'm sure he keeps up with speeds."

I turned back to the battlefield.

"Hey! Morons! Get your sparkling asses back up here!"

They apparently heard me and stopped the nonsensical quarrel I'd ordered. Once Edward was back up on the platform, Olivier turned to him.

"What's the top speed of the average member of your kind?"

"We can normally move around 700 mph, but I'm a bit special. I actually broke the sound barrier on one occasion. Some of us actually move slower than that, like Emmett here."

He motioned to his disgruntled brother.

"He moves at around 550 to 600. There's a vampire named Felix who moves at a top speed of 490 mph. There are slower records, but I don't normally keep up with those. Just the fast ones."

"Do you know your top speed?"

"The highest I've ever reached is 887 mph. Never tried to go above that."

"Amazing," said the general.

"Thank you, ma'am," he said, bowing slightly.

"General, Edward also has another ability. Some vampires are gifted with special powers after they're changed. He can read minds, and from the test I performed before this display, he's able to extend it out far enough to read the Drachmans' minds," I explained.

"Hm. Very useful. I'll find a way to employ that ability soon enough." She turned to me. "Thank you for the demonstration."

I motioned for my squad to follow me back into the fortress.

**xXx**

After having a hearty, carb-filled lunch, I made my way down to the gym. It was nothing impressive; the gym had originally been an unused space that the soldiers filled with workout equipment. After a while, it turned into a much more proper gym, but it still left something to be desired. Nevertheless, it worked for me.

During my stay in Rush Valley, I had managed to regain a lot of my upper-body strength. I was getting a decent amount of muscle back. Soon I would be close to my former strength, and after that, I would try to surpass it. Being in the best shape possible was something I strived for.

I started off alone. A few of the men came and went. In the end, I was by myself again.

You could say that I was surprised when Rosalie walked in. In reality, I was pretty damn shocked. She had discarded her jacket, leaving her in only that black, form-fitting military issue shirt. It outlined all her curves and muscles, and I couldn't help but stare.

"Not to sound rude or anything, but why are you in here?" I asked.

"No, it's okay. I guess I just wanted to talk to you."

"Well, talk," I said.

**xXx**

At Central HQ, Carlisle was having a chat with Mustang in the military hospital.

"You are quite a talented doctor," commented the Brigadier General.

"It comes with centuries of practice," Carlisle replied.

"Not to be rude, Dr. Cullen, but just how old are you?"

Carlisle chuckled. "Please, General, call me Carlisle."

"Only if you'll call me Roy."

The two smiled softly at each other.

"Well then, _Roy_, I am currently 366 years old. It's quite a struggle to keep up with."

"I'd imagine so. As you are immortal, what are your thoughts on eternal life?"

Carlisle laid down the tools he had been cleaned and sighed. "It is what you make of it. I would not wish it on anyone who didn't want it, though I have given it to some."

"And your reasons for this?"

"They were selfish. I turned Edward because I was lonely. His mother had asked me to save him before she died, so I did the only thing I could. Esme had lived a rough life, and I didn't want her to die without knowing what true love was. Rosalie… Rosalie would never say it to my face anymore, but she hates me for giving her immortality. Though she's grown accustomed to it, I know she is torn inside about never being able to have children or grow old."

"And the others?"

"I did not change Jasper or Alice. Jasper was a soldier in our Civil War. Three vampires decided to change him and he fought in the Southern Vampires Wars until he met Alice. Alice has no memory of her past at all; her psychic gifts allowed her to lead Jasper to our coven."

Mustang nodded solemnly. "I see. I'm sure that you've heard the war stories, and that you know of the man who tried to destroy this country because he wanted to be immortal."

"Yes, I've heard."

"Immortality seems to be more common where you come from," Roy observed.

"You could say that. It is, in a way. It is not something that humans know of, though. We keep ourselves well hidden from the mortal eye," Carlisle explained.

"They say that to become immortal-" the general began.

"-is to lose what makes you human," the doctor finished. "This is why we call ourselves vampires."

Mustang smiled sadly. "I should be going. Hawkeye will surely be wondering where I've been. It was nice talking to you."

"Yes, it was. Oh, before you go: I was wondering where I could receive training in auto mail surgery. I've also been looking into alchemy a bit as well."

"You can find everything you'd ever need to know about alchemy in the library. If you'd like a teacher, I'd suggest seeing either Izumi Curtis or Edward Elric. The former is rather stubborn when it comes to taking apprentices, and the latter can no longer perform alchemy, though he is very well-versed in the subject. As for auto mail, there are certain medical schools that you can attend, but I've been told that an apprenticeship in a workshop is a better learning experience. If you visit Rush Valley, I'm sure Edward and his wife, Winry, would be willing to teach you alchemy and auto mail surgery at the same time, respectively. You could kill two birds with one stone."

"Thank you, Roy," said Carlisle. "I'll look into it."

**xXx**

"I just wanted to ask you about what you said back at Central HQ."

I knew immediately what she meant. "About immortality?"

"Yes."

"I meant it. While I was in Forks, I'll admit that I was… _dazzled_ by your family and the prospect of immortality. I'd forgotten almost everything I learned. When I found my old uniform tucked up under my bed that night, I wanted to kill myself for forgetting. So, I went home."

"I admire you for finally coming to your senses," said Rosalie.

I was a little startled. Rosalie Hale admired _me_? The goddess of beauty admired _me_?

"Uh, thanks, I guess."

"I know that Edward is upset, but he'll get over it. You two weren't meant to be together anyways. He left you so effortlessly and it barely hurt him. He wasn't your mate."

This I didn't know. It was kind of like a slap in the face. I had gone into such a deep depression while he was gone, but it barely touched him at all? What an asshole.

Rosalie stood up and walked towards the door. "If you ever need to talk to anyone, I'm here," she said.

I watched her go, swaying effortlessly. She was so beautiful.

***Flamel's Cross features a crucified serpent which represents turning something that torments or plagues you, into something that strengthens or cures you. In this circle, it is used to represent Edward's vampirism and his skin. His vampirism represents the problem/plague that he's turning into a strength, a weapon or defense, depending on how he uses it.**

**If you spot any errors, tell me in a review or PM!**


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